Conventional medical imaging film is processed using wet chemical processors. Although conventional medical film provides a high quality, high resolution medical image, wet chemical processing in the health care environments, such as hospitals and radiology departments, introduces environmental, storage, disposal and space problems. Recently introduced photothermographic media film eliminates many of these problems. Photothermographic film is processed in a thermal processor that uses heat to develop the film. Thus, chemicals need not be stored or disposed of, saving space, eliminating special plumbing installation, and minimizing environmental problems.
One type of thermal processor uses a heated drum for developing an exposed film brought into contact with the drum. The film can be held in contact with the drum by means of a web or rollers (see: FR Patent 1,338,102, granted Aug. 12, 1963, applicant Societe d'Etudes et de Recherches Diazo; PCT unexamined International Application WO 95/30934, published Nov. 16, 1995, inventors Star et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,133, issued Feb. 9, 1971, inventor Hauck; U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,280, issued Sep. 5, 1978, inventors Salsich et al.). Research Disclosure 18330, published May 1979, disclosed by F. D. Hauck, discloses a processor for processing photothermographic film or paper including a plurality of ultrasoft, yarn-covered rollers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,863 discloses a flat bed thermophotographic film processor including a bed of spaced rollers of low thermal conductivity foam material. There is no disclosure in this patent of using these rollers as hold-down rollers in a heated drum processor.
Although these processors may be suitable for the applications for which they were intended, there exists a need for a heated drum processor for photothermographic media having improved in sheet and sheet-to-sheet media processing uniformity.